Process for the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons



\ May 26,1942. A.BEL 4E1-z ml. 2,284,603

PROCESS FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF HYDROCARBONS Filed Feb. 2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q as $5 i 2 Q Ems PB 3 M, 5 8 X 8 Q S Y s R N EL:- 2' '2 w Q BE N 28 3 o k Q 8 88 \v 7 1k] is T I a *4 3 b k v Q wg Q; 5 Q g ,5 5m Q o 2 Are/vow Ban/ 12 Durvcmv K. F/NLA V50 INVENTORS ATTORNEY May 26, 1942. A. BELCHETZ :rm. 2,234,503

PROCESS FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF HYDROCARBONS Filed Feb. 2,1940 7 s Sheets-Sheet s F 1900/ 7069601980 lPECOVfFY 17/)0 IPMOVWL 0u/ nze/vr 75H/0/P06flA60/V 1 560145 9) fi/VO AR/vbw BEiI/ETZ Dunc/w h. FINLA r5011 INVENTOR S ATTORNEY Patented May 26, 1942 "to The M. W.'Kello s PATEN rRooEs sroR THE CATALYTIC CON- tveasronor HYDRDCARBONS 1 Arnold Belchet z; Kew gardens, and" that Kenneth Finlayson, Hartsdale, N. Y., assignors Company, Jersey City; A

.5 N. J.,'a corporation of Delaware v ifAiaplicZxtion February 2, 1940, Serial No. 315,908

5 Claims. (Cl. 136-52) The'present invention relates to catalytic .hy-

drocarbonprocesses in which hydrocarbon conversion is accompanied by the deposition of carbonaceous material upon the catalyst and par- {f tlcularlytdprocesses wherein carbonaceous mat- 1 ter is removed iro'm'a used catalyst by contacting itwith steam under conditions favorable to the interactionof steam and carbon to form hydrogen and carbon oxides.

It is a primary ,objectof the invention to pro ride a catalytic hydrocarbon process in which gaseou'spro'duct s of a catalyst revivification step are utilized in a 'conyersion" step, whereby the follows.

7* couplin' drmetwo steps is simplifiedand hither- 'to unavoidable intervening steps. are eliminated. -"bth'r' objects and advantages of the invention --wm-ap5err mm,1tne detailed description {Which v Theinvention contemplates contacting hydro-,

"carbonyapors with a catalyst in aconversion Zone; simultaneously contacting a carbon-coated used eat-we with steam in a regeneration zone {and maintaining the "regeneration zone under f conditions favorable to the reaction of steam witlilcarbon according to a modified form of the g'f'water ga reaction, i. e., as indicated by the where a and b are coeflicients which vary with temperature and with the quantity of steam present; In the conventional water gas reacam the temperature and steam concentration are adjusted so that a is large with respect to I) while the modified reaction made use of in this invention is effected at a temperature and with an excess of steam such that b is large with refmittently or continuously substituted in place of catalyst which has acquired a like deposit of carbon in the conversion zone.

In the regeneration of catalysts which have v had their activity impaired by carbon deposition during a hydrocarbon conversion step, it is known to employ air or air-flue gas mixtures and the like as carbon-removing media, and by their'use to-burn off carbon. Regeneration by'combustion sufiers from a number of disadvantages, however, chiefly the following: V

ll plosive.

recoyered by indirect 1. The regeneration reaction; is exothermic. and introduces a difllcult problem of'temperature control if overheating of the catalyst and impairment of its activity is to be'avoided. l

2.'The regenerating mediafbec'ause of their oxidizing effect, enter:into-undesired rreactions with hydrccarbonsuat high temperatures and mixtures ofwthe twoqmay be dangerously ex- This fact necessitates freeing the catalyst of regeneration gascompletely-prior to the reestablishment ,of conversion. cs: v 3;. Regeneration products are: of I no further value to-the process except-thatthey may :con- ,tain recoverable heat.-.; This heat:-can.'-only be exchange, WhiOhtiS-i'lfltiyely ineflicient in the gasphaser I According .to the-present invention, it is proposed to subject a carbon-coated .catalyst to :the action of steam under conditionstsuch that in Equation 1. coefficient b will be largeand coefli- (c0) 10) I (C smo I where K is proportional to temperature and varies from about 0.2 at 1000 F. to about 2.0 at 2000 F. It will be seen that the maximum formation of CO2 and the minimum formation of C0 are favored by decreasing temperature and increasing steam concentration. There are other limitations which prevent fixing these variables at any desired point, however, for the reaction rate becomes to slow below about 1100 F. and beyond a certain point excess steam increases the cost of lines and other equipment. Ordinarily we prefer to work within the temperature range 1100 to 1600 F. and with not less than about 8 mols of steam per mol of carban to be removed. With these conditions it is possible to reduce the carbon monoxide formation to less than 0.2 mol per mol of carbon reacting, or in other words to maintain a formation ratio of CO2 to C0 of at least 4 to 1.

Having allowed the carbon-coated catalyst and I 23843608. 1 tages'on the process. in a variety different .way

more fully described with reference to the annexedydrawing m f 1 is a diagrammaticrfiow sheeii with ..I;he,. 9

in sectional elevation, showing one form of invention in which a catalyst is disposed in two" or more reactors to which hydrccarbons iaresdi rected alternately, so that whileatheicatalysti'in one or more reactors is contacting hydrocarbons the catalyst in the remainingreactorsdsg und going regenerationv in situlf .is .thefi n'te mittent" type of process previouslfrefer'red ,to Fig. 2 is a purely diagrammatic flow sheet red 3.; heatingzmedium such as hot flue gas or tween about-900 and 10.50 n, about'980 n; being preferred. Naphtha vapors andrecycle gas entering. line I are raised to the chosen reaction temperature by direct heat exchange with the regeneration, gas, which will .be available at about 1100 to 1600 F. The naphtha vapors are preheated in anysuitable manner. to such a temperature that the-iaddi-tiona];heat;in the regenerases gas will sufiice to bringthe final mixture to the desired reaction temperature.

After entering the, containerfi the reactants fpassld w'r'iwfrdly through catalyst 9. at which the "-d's'ir' tlhydrogenation reaction takes place. reagitiondaan endothermic one and if de' 'excessiriegeri'eration gas may be passed through line rcontrolled by-valve 26 into the space above tube sheet. Ii, downwardly through the tubes and .showing another-embodiment :.of theinvention in" erough "11 521, The li t o of t t which we employ a single reactor intoaan d from which catalyst and hydrocarbonsare continuously introduced and withdrawn, and a-separate regenerator into which carhon coated catalyst iscontinuously introducedand regenerated catalyst continuously withdrawn.

'Fig. 3 isaflow sheet showing the manner of using one typeof contactinggdevice in:the process. shown by-Fig. 2.

W Hydrocarbon conversions to which the invention is applicable are typified by catalytic crack. ing and catalytic dehydrogenationl 'll'ie Ioll o'w ing more'detailed descriptiorrof the invention" will be given with reference to the'catalytiddehydrogenation of a low-octane haphthaf ior *the purpose of enhancing the anti linoc thereof, which process embodies tli' inyefitioh' so that. a maximum numbenof' its advantages-are;

attained... It is tobe understoodi howeveifftl'iat the various other: types of dehydroge'r'iatior'r p'fcesses, such as the conversion of iiaramns 'toolefins, naphthenes. or aromatics-"maybe eifected with equal advantage by'means of-t'he inventiom and that the operating-conditions hereafter with respect-to ther'conversion-"inno way limit the-scope of the invention.

In Fig. l, the construction'of aIcatalyst Eon tainer 5 is like that of a-conventional single-pass shell-and-tube heat exchanger. A body of cata-- lyst 9 is disposed between .upperand lowertube sheets 6 and I and surrounds"tubesjfj'fIhelconstruction shown is purely exemplary; as any type" of container may be used provided that thej'ceitalyst is in contact with heat-transferring surfaces. As a catalyst we may employ oxides of the metals of the sixth group such as chromium 'oiii'nolybdenum, supported on alumina, or any suitabledehydrogenation catalyst;

Pursuant to the exemplary procesayapors of a low-octane naphtha are taken from any suitable source and passed through line. I. Regeneration gas from an adjoining catalyst container in which regeneration is taking place as will beherinafter described is passed through line 2. controlled by valve 3 intoline I for admixture with the naphtha vapors therein. Additionally. a recycle'gas fcomprising hydrogen and normally gaseous ihydrocarbons is passed through line 23 controlled .by

- valve 24 into line I for admixture with, naphtha a into contact with-catalyst 9. 'rhe'tenapratiire of the mixture entering the container inay'beb'eg ithereaction is not essential, for the reactants may be, introduced at a temperature. sufiiciently f ahovel'theidesired'reaction temperature to com- -"-pensate'forfthe temperature dropas endothermic "heat-is absorbed.

n After trayersing the catalystbed 9-.conversion "excess steam originallypresent in the regenerar'operties ifliid e of liquid. and gaseous conversion a es on through'jline IIII to separator engagementofthe; two phases occurs. steamiand .normally liquid: hydrocaring,thedesirednaphthabf.enhanced ock ropertiesjfare withdrawn from sepaator 33th 4 pass -'.o erha absorber.l 6 "jPassing-jupwardly through absorber 'I 6. the uncondei i'sedjgasejs countercurrently. contact aliq absorbing niediumgwhioh ,is. introduced; at the bsorbei. through line I8. The abroughline- IS' to the base of'an' the recovery of light hydrocarbons U inixtures containing them. Passing downwardlythrough'the absorber I6 the. absorbing medium picks up at least a portion of the C3 hydrocarbons. in the uncondensed conversion products and substantially all the C4 and heavier hydrocarbons present therein. If desired asecond'stage oij'absorption may. be employed further to reduce the hydrocarbon content of the gas mixture.

Theenriclied absorbing medium is withdrawn 'ifromthe baseofabsorber IGthrough line H and the absorbed hydrocarbons removed therefrom suitably by steam distillation. after which'the stripped medium may be used to absorb additional iu i ydrocarbons;

' Unabsorbed' gases, afterthe withdrawal of any excess not needed further-inthe process through 1ine 30a andvalve 32, pass'overhead from the absorber through line I 9 to the base ofascrubber 20 into fwhicha 'COz-absorbing liquid-such as diamino propanol is introduced throu'gh line 2I. Scrubber-20 functions like absorber I6.to remove carbon dioxide from the-gas enteringiit, the-CO:- laden absorbent beingwithdrawn through" line -22 for stripping and reuse; If desired the CO2 .sorubberrmay precede the-hydrocarbonabsorber.

,t'iihe -COz-treeagas; now comprising hydrogen, normally-gaseous.hydrocarbonsand minorquantitie s, of carbon, monoxide:- passes overhead through line 23,-controlledcby valve Zka-ndenters giliigline-lt wlnleuncondensedegases duced'inuzheadehydrogenation reaction, plus-light i'hydrocarborrbyproducts of ,thedehydrogenation.

,lnhdehydrogenating a naphtha characterized 'fbya high-hydrogenproduction; such as'for ex-- ample a sulfur-free straight-run naphtha it may bethatthelhydrogenin'the regeneration gas will Q flalone'be sufficient for the 'purposes of the invenl" .tion, -in which case the overhead from absorber l6 can'be discarded orlburnedasxfuel. ,mustibe'discarded throughpline-35 in an ievent {1' to prev'eritthe accumulation of carbon monoxide ""in the system.

As the process thus far described continues, a

- 'deposit'of carbon or carbonaceous material will .gradually accumulate on catalyst 9. and reduce I its activity. When this reduction has become excessive. valves 3. 4, H. .and 24 are closed and the flow of naphtha vapors is diverted to an adjoining container thelcatalyst in which has just been regenerated. Valve'34 is opened .so that con- A portion thereof ispasseddnto anadjoining container in .admixturecwith :hydrocarbons to be converted,

througha-line equivalent to line 2 in-Figure 1.

Any regeneration-gas not'smusedmay be burned as fuel :or.=its sensible heat transferred to a-simultaneously fo'ccurr'ing conversion "or both.

:Whenthe regeneration'of catalysts is complete 4 the flow of superheatedsteam'and high temperaversion'product's from the adjoining-container maypasslthrough linei33into line it) and thence through condenser 12, separator l3,-absorber l6 and scrubber 2 0. while valve'36 is. opened to permitpass'ajgecf recycle gas through line35back to the adjoining container. In thismanner the "operation of the, hydrocarbon recovery system land ,CQz scrubber is made .cfintinu'ous notwith- "j 'standingpthe alternatingtcycles-of conversion and .:.r.eg eneration-,.in';the containers.-

- To start-the regeneration of the catalyst 9 in container I valve' 29 is opened to admit :steam {to the catalyst throughqline 28. .steam f pas ses downwardly through the-catalyst and is Q'withdrawnthroughline 30 controlled by valve 3i,

which also opened.

The jstearn introduced at the same I pressure a's'that maintained during conversion and pref-- I, erably at.a temperature-of .1000 F..to 1700 F. At thesame time a heat-carrying -.fluid such as .fluegas atIl200lF. .to 1700" F. isadmitted to the tubes Bthr'ough line and valve :26. The quantity of thlshotffluid admitted is so regulated as to maintain the desired regeneration temperature, which. maybe between 1-.100-.and 1600 F. aspreviously mentioned, in'thezmass of catalyst 9.

In passing downwardlyithrough the catalyst 9 the superheated steam will be decomposed by hot carbonaceous matter into hydrogen and oxides of carbon. In order to influence the course of this reaction in the direction of maximum 'CO: and

minimum CO'formation, more steam is introduced than can be decomposed during a single pass through the catalyst, so that excess undecomposedsteam is present in the regeneration gases issuing :through line 30. The excess steam suppresses the formation of CO, or if any has been formed, reacts with it to form CO2 and hydrogen. .In accordance with the mass action law and the equilibrium constant previously referred to, the CO formation may be reduced to any reasonable figure bypassing steam through the catalyst at a sufficiently highrate. We prefer to regulate the steam rate so that theregeneration "gas will analyze not more than about 20% CO on 'a dry, COz-free basisand preferably-less than 10%. Regeneration gas is withdrawn from the con tainer'i through line and at least a portion ture heating medium is interrupted by closing valves .29, .3land '25. Immediately thereafter and without the interposition of-a purging'step, as would be necessary with combustion rege neration, the flow of hydrocarbon vapors to the catalyst is resumed byopeningvalves 3, 4, H and 24.

Discussing now the advantages of introducing the regeneration'gas into the conversion zone of a dehydrogenationprocess, it will be noted that naphtha vapors to be treateddo not reach 'a dehydrogenation temperature until they meet the hot regeneration gas entering line I through line 2. Upon meeting this gas stream thenaphtha vapors are almost instantaneously raised to the desired conversion temperature and immediately contact the catalyst, so that undesirable thermal cracking reactions do not have time tooccur. This advantage may be-attributed' to the direct transfer of heat from 'hot regeneration "gas to naphtha vapors, which is'inherently much faster and more efficient than indirect transfenrsuch as must be employed when the regeneration gas may contain oxygen.

The presenceof hydrogen inazzone of catalytic hydrocarbon conversion is frequently-desirable deposition so that the active=life of 'the catalyst between regenerationslis 'lengthened In-catalytic reforming hydrogen is even more beneficial since by varying its concentration in the-conversion zone it is possible to control the degree of dehydrogenation so asto obtain exactly the type of product desired. From the term dehydrogenation it might-be assumed that hydrogen is obtained as a by-productof the process; and indeed this is often'the case, but in dehydrogenating certain high-sulfurnaphthasthe conversion of sulfur to hydrogen sulfideconsumes hydrogen as fast as it is produced. Also the removal of sulfur by this reaction from a-comp'onud of the thiophene type leaves an open carbon ring which takes on hydrogen at the point of scission. Therefore, the ,dehydrogenation of sulfurous naphthas ordinarily requires that hydrogen be manufactured by some means for admixture with the feed. By the use of the invention, however. there will be exccss hydrogen always availablein quantities more than sufficient to offset the hydrogen-consuming tendency of a sulfurous feed.

The invention is ofutility to no less a degree when applied to processes of the continuous or moving catalyst type, and an exemplary embodiment of it in such a process will now be described with reference to Figure 2. Moving catalyst processes are characterized by the employment of contacting devices in which a continuously moving stream of catalytic material meets and contacts a stream of fluid'material, which may flow concurrently or countercurrently therewith. After a finite contact time the two streams leave the contacting deviceseparately or combined, as desired. t

Figure 2 is a purely diagrammatic flow sheet in which squares identified by legends represent pieces or groups of apparatus. The lines conuecting the squares represent the paths than dicate the destinations of streams of material ratherthan pipes through which'such streams sirabie. Squares ii. and i02,bearing the legdescribed with reference to Figure 1, including in that figure-condenser .12, separator l3, ab-

.sorber i6 and scrubber 20." a

As in Figure 1, a steam ofvaporized low-octane naphtha is passed throughline I04 and is joined might be 'passed.' 1tis to. be -understood thatf control over the various streams is "obtained by the provision of valves where necessary or de-.

ends "Conversion contactorhand Regeneration contactor? respectively,'- represent any suitable .devices for contacting fluid .and ipulverulent streams'of material. 'square' l03. represents'a iractionating or separating system suchas was se m functions of the regeneration contactor referred to in connection withFigure 2 and designated y- ;-;mer em bythe square I02; This method of contacting has certain advantages over the static bed method illustrated by Figure 1. Firstly, the

-- transfer of heat to the regeneration reaction is muchfimproved because of the high velocity of by a stream of recycle gas "entering through line I05. The combined stream goes to the conversion zone comprised by contactor ii and is joined therein by a stream of regeneration gas introduced via line I06. -It-is'not to be understood that the naphtha vapors must be mixed with recycle gas before entering the conversion zone, or that the regeneration gas must enter .theconversion zone separately. All that is necessary is that the three streams enterthe zone.

Freshly regenerated catalyst is continuously introduced into contractor IN by line I01, and

while progressing toward its point of withdrawal comes incontact with sufficient naphtha. vapor to acquire a deactivating coating of carbonaceous material. Leaving" contactor IOI along line 108 the used catalyst-goes to regeneration contacior I82, into which 'steamfor regeneration is being passed "aiongfline' I09. The modified water gas reaction takes. place in contactor 102 while the steam and catalyst are in contact,

the steam suspension past the heat-transferring surface; and secondly, it is' not necessary to use so great an excess of steam because carbon dioxide, once formed, does not have to pass through layers of carbon-bearing catalyst which would tend to reduce it to carbon monoxide.

Leavingconduit 204 the suspension of regenerated catalyst travels through a connecting conduit 201 from which excess regeneration gas may be withdrawn if desired through line 200 and valve 209. The escape of catalyst with regerenation gas may be prevented by means of a screen or by the use of a small cyclone separator.

and regenerated catalyst passes out'alon'g' line I07 for return to contactor i0| as previously described. Regeneration gas is returned by way of line I06 to contactor "I also after rejecting a portion through line H0, if desired.

Gaseous conversion products are'withdrawn from cuntactor i 0| along line ill and go to the hydrocarbon recovery and COz -i'emoval system I03, wherein separation of the'various components is effected as described with reference to Figure 1. The desired naphtha of improved octane number is released along line i i2 while recycle gasgoes back to contactor i0! via line I05, a portion being bled of! as'desired through line H3.

Referring now to Figure 3 for a more specific description of a continuous moving catalyst process and one type of contacting device suitable for use therewith, the vessel numbered 201 is a hopper containing used catalyst bearing a coating of 'carbon. In the process, .used catalyst introduced into hopper drops into a solids pump or screw conveyor 202 driven by motor 203 and is forced into an elongated conduit 204. A current' of superheated steam enters conduit 200 through line 205 controlled by valve 200 and picks" up the pulverulent catalyst and holds it in suspension. Heat is supplied to conduit 204 in any suitable manner, for example by surrounding it with hot products of combustion, and the steam-- ,catahrst suspension passing therethrough is maintained at a temperature favorable to the modified water gas reaction as previously decarbonaceous material.

The hot suspension flowing through line 207 next enters a conversion conduit 2| 0, constructed similarly to the regeneration conduit 204, and extemally;heated ifdesired. Vapors of a naphthe. to-be dehydrogenated join the suspension via line 2 and valve H2, and are heated to conversion temperature by direct heat exchange with hot catalyst and regeneration gas. At an ad- .jacent point the recycle gas taken from a hydrocarbon recovery and CO2 removing system are introduced into conduit 2!!! through line M3 and valve 2. The final mixture of regeneration gas-recycle gas, naphtha vapors to be dehydrogenated and suspended catalyst passes through conduit 2) under dehydrogenating conditions and remains therein for a time suflicient to ensure the desired extent of' conversion. Dur ing this'period the catalyst acquires a deposit of Issuing from conduit 2l0 the suspension of scribed. The length of the heated portion of conduit 204 is made great enough to permit the reaction of the steam with thecarbon on the catalyst to go to the desired extent therein, so

products'enters a separator 2i5, suitably of the cyclone centrifugal type, wherein separation of the catalyst from the suspending gas occurs. Gaseous conversion products pass overhead through line M6 to a hydrocarbon recovery and CO2 removal system while used catalyst drops through line 2!! into a stripping drum HE. A current of steam introduced through line 2i9 passes upwardly through stripping drum 2i8 and strips residual hydrocarbon vapors from the catalyst, leaving the drum through line 220. The stripped catalyst drops through the bottom of the drum 2|8 into hopper Ziii, where it is ready to undergo another cycle of regeneration as previously described.

It will now be seen that conduit 2l0'in conjunction with separator 215, line 2H, and drum 2I8 performs the functions of the conversion contactor referred to in connection with Figure 2 and designated therein by the square I02.

It is to be understood that the invention is applicable not only to the suspension type of moving catalyst contactor, but is of utility'with other types as well. For example, it is feasible to introduce the catalyst continuously into an elongated vertical drum by means of a star feeder or the like and to pass naphthayapors or steam therethroughjw'hile withdrawing contaminated or regenerated catalyst from the bottom of the drum and transferring it to a complementary contactor drum in which the other stage of the' =while we-have described our invention with respect to various specific examples and haveillustra ted'-'various preferred forms of apparatus for carrying out the various operations incident zone, catalytically converting said'hydrocarbo'n vapors insaid zone, withdrawing gaseous conversion products Irom said zone, separating said gaseous conversion products into a hydrogenfreefraction and a second fraction containing hydrogen and carbon dioxide, recovering therdesired'hydrocarbon productsfrom said hydrogenfree fraction, separating carbondioxide from said to our process, it'will be understood by those skilled in the art thatour invention is not limited to such operative or mechanical details except in so far as set forth in the claims hereinafter made.

We claim:

1. A process for the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons including the steps of contacting hydrocarbon vapors with a catalyst in a conversion zone, contacting steam with a catalyst having carbonaceous material deposited thereon in a regeneration zone under conditions favorable to the interaction of steam and carbon to form hydrogen and carbon dioxide, withdrawing gaseous products of regeneration from said regeneration zone and introducing at least a part of the regeneration products into said conversion zone simultaneously with hydrocarbon vapors to be converted.

2. A process for the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons in the presence of hydrogen wherein carbonaceous matter is deposited upon the catalyst during conversion including the steps of continuously introducing hydrocarbon vapors, a hydrogen-containing gas, and a catalyst, into a conversion zone, withdrawing gaseous conversion products from said zone, separating said gaseous products into a hydrogen-free fraction and a second fraction containing a major. proportion of hydrogen, using a portion of said second fraction as a component of the hydrogencontaining gas introduced into said conversion zone, recovering the desired hydrocarbon products from saidhydrogen-free fraction, continuously withdrawing catalyst with carbonaceous matter deposited thereon from said conversion zone, contacting said catalyst with steam in a regeneration zone under conditions favorable to the reaction of steam with carbon to form hydrogen. carbon dioxide and a minor proportion of carbon monoxide. withdrawing regenerated cat'- alyst from said regeneration zone for reuse in the process. withdrawing gaseous regeneration products from said regeneration zone, and using at least a part of said gaseous regeneration products as a component of the hydrogen-containing gas introduced into said conversion zone.

3. A process for the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons in the presence of hydrogen wherein carbonaceous matter is deposited upon the catalyst during conversion including the steps of continuously introducing hydrocarbon vapors and a suspension of catalyst in a hydrogen and carbon dioxide-containing gas into a conversion second fraction and using a portion of the carbon d oxide-free "second fraction as a component of the hydrogen and carbon dioxide containing gasintroduced into said conversion zone, continuously'withdrawing catalyst with carbonaceous material deposited thereon from said conversion zone-forming a suspension of 'said catalyst in steam, passingsaid suspension through aregeneration zone maintained at a temperature favorable to the reaction of steamwithcarbon to form hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and a minor proportion of carbon monoxide, withdrawing a suspension of regenerated catalyst in a hydrogen and carbon-dioxide-containing gas from said regeneration zone. and using said last mentioned suspension as the suspension introduced into said conversion zone.

4. A method of catalytically converting hydrocarbon fractions which comprises passing- ,a,-gas eous stream including hydrogen and vaporsof the hydrocarbons undergoing treatment and having a finely divided catalyst suspended therein through a reaction zone maintained under conversion conditions, separating the used catalyst from the gaseous conversion products, forming a suspension of the separated catalyst in steam, passing the suspension through a regeneration zone maintained under conditions favorable to the reaction of steam with carbon to form hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and a minor proportion of carbon monoxide, mixing products of regeneration including the regenerated catalyst and regeneration gases with additional hydrocarbons, and passing the suspension thus produced to the reaction zone.

5. A method of catalytically reforming hydrocarbon fractions containing a substantial proportion oi. aliphatic compounds which comprises passing a gaseous stream including hydrogen and vapors of the hydrocarbons undergoing treatment having a finely divided hydrogenation and cyclicization catalyst suspended therein through a reaction zone maintained under conditions adapted to cause a substantial quantity of the aliphatic compounds to be dehydrogenated and cyclicized to aromatic compounds, separating the used catalyst with carbonaceous material produced by the reforming reaction deposited thereon from the gaseous reaction products. forming a suspension of the separated catalyst in steam and passing the suspension through a regeneration zone heated to a temperature adapted to cause interaction between the steam and carbonaceous material present on the catalyst with formation of carbon dioxide and hydrogen there- ARNOLD BELCHETZ. DUNCAN KENNETH FINLAYSON.

CERTIFICATE. ion icoanec'rzon. Patent'No. 2, 2sh,-605-. May 26, 191w.

ARNOLD: semmmz; ET, AL, 3

-It 1s hereby certified that-error appears in the printed specification of the above. numbered patent .reqfiiring coi'reetiones follows Page .1, r15 1; column, linehl for pegenrati'onFI-ead --re geners tiO I1 -7-; and second column, line 57, for the word" "to" ire ad -t.eo--; page i first column, line 16, for "steam" read -stream--; andiseclond c0lumn, l1nefl2h.-.25,.fer "rege-renaiz-ion" read --regenerat1on-; page first column, line 9, for "the" before "many" read --the .t--;- and seeond .coiumn, line claim 5 for' "hydrogenatiofi read --dehydrogenati en and that the. said Letters Patent should be read with this co rrection therein theta the Same may conform to the record of the case in the Pa-tent'office. t.

Signed and sealed 17111321515 dayof July, A. D. 19L 2.

fie'nry Van Ar sdale ($353) w Acting Cennhisionr of Patents. 

